A school-based traineeship is helping Bruthen teenager, Josh Ward finish, school while making a head-start in his future career.
The 17-year-old Bairnsdale Secondary College and Clontarf Academy student is completing paid on-the-job training with East Gippsland Water as part of a Certificate in Civil Construction.
Josh is part of the East Gippsland Water’s reuse team where he is working in the field at irrigation farms and storage sites handling recycled water, helping with day-to-day operations and equipment maintenance under close supervision.
These traineeships provide an opportunity for students to learn practical skills and earn a qualification.
Josh acknowledges he wanted to leave school, but the support he has received from Clontarf to remain at school and the opportunity to work with East Gippsland Water has kept him there.
“They (Clontarf staff) support me and help me through school because sometimes it gets very hard,” he said.

IMAGE: Bairnsdale Secondary College student and East Gippsland Water trainee, Josh Ward, and operations and maintenance officer, Tim Irish, at the Metung Wastewater Treatment Plant. (PS)